Patent GB-373676-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for sorting statistical cards
Filed: 1931-03-05
Abstract: 373,676. Statistical machines. THOMAS, A., 11, Sandy Lane South, Wallington, Surrey, and MOWBRAY, E., 40, Wivenhoe Road, Peckham, London. March 5, 1931, No. 6950. [Class 106 (i).] Sorting cards.-A sorting machine with an analyser for selectively controlling the card compartments has in combination means (springs 17) tending to open all the compartments at each machine cycle, obstructor means (latch 24) normally preventing the opening of any compartment, means selectively controlled from the analyser to disable the obstructor means in respect of any particular compartment, and timing gear 29, 26 whereby the particular obstructor to be disabled is selected when the card is read but is not actually disabled until the card reaches the sorting box. Delay-action means may be used to retain a sorting flap in raised position until a predetermined number of cards have followed the first card into the compartment. There may also be means for locking each flap in its lowered position, so that that compartment may not be used. The invention is illustrated as applied to the sorting machine described in Specification 328,293, [Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.]. The cards, which are sorted into twelve boxes S1 .. S12, Fig. 1, pass from magazine 3 to pin-box 2, where a pin 9 entering a cardhole is locked down and thereafter acts as a plunger on a Bowden cable 12 leading to the corresponding card-box control. Rigid with the axis 14 of each sorting flap 13, Fig. 2, is an arm 15 which is rotatable by spring 17 so that its pin 15a coacts with cams 16 or disc 16a. Normally arm 15 is held back by a latch 24. Each cam disc 16a is driven from the card-feeding shaft 21 at such a speed and has such an arrangement of cams 16 that if a latch 24 be removed the pin 15a follows the cams so that arm 15 is rocked, and flap 13 raised, once for each card which passes the analyser. Each disc shown has six cams 16 and also six trip members 26 which normally, during rotation of disc 16a, miss the end of latch 24. When a hole is read and the appropriate cable 12 is actuated, however, the latter projects a plunger 29 (against spring pressure) at that sorting box into the path of the next member 26. The latter is moved to the other side of its dead-centre so that when it reaches latch 24 it depresses the latter, releasing arm 15 and allowing the sorting flap to rise. The position of each plunger 29 round the periphery of disc 16a is such, for each box, that the trip member 26 reaches the latch 24 during the same cycle that the card, which caused such actuation of plunger 29, reaches the sorting box. A fixed pin 34 subsequently restores the projected member 26. The pin 15a and arm 15 are restored to latched position by the next cam 16 to reach pin 15a. A manually actuated linkage is provided for each box, which may be moved to lock an arm rigid with shaft 14, so that any desired sorting box may remain closed. To sort one or more follower cards into a box after the card which caused the opening of that box, means are provided to delay the relatching of arm 15, Fig. 6. When the latch 24 is removed by trip 26 from the arm 15, it is latched by another latch 40. Instead of the arm 15 being relatched when it is returned to the right by a cam 16, the arm 15 is left free until the trip member 26 which freed it meets a lug 44 on latch 40, thus releasing latch 24. The time of delay will depend upon the position of lug 44, or an equivalent member connected to latch 40, round the periphery of disc 16a. The invention is applicable to a machine having only two sorting boxes, e.g. a verifying machine.